Bram de Zwart is ushering in a new historical era with mass 3D printing

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Bram de Zwart, CEO and co-founder of 3D Hubs, wants to reduce pollution and over production -- by replacing mass production with 3D printing. "We can eventually change how products are being made and distributed," de Zwart told WIRED Retail. "You can make products both local and on demand."

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This vision is fast becoming a reality. 3D Hubs has already put 3D printers within 10 miles of a billion people's homes, and it's active in more countries than McDonalds, according to de Zwart. And it's going to keep expanding.

At the moment the majority of 3D Hubs' products are industrial -- like the parts it prints for Boeing Airbuses. But it also makes medical devices, like braces, and consumer products, such as phone cases.

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De Zwart wants to grow 3D Hubs so that it becomes a staple of the consumer market. He wants it to be normal for retailers to create personalised items in house that are designed by the purchaser. He cited Normal's 3D printed, in-ear headphones -- made to fit the shape of individuals' ears -- as an example of the kind of customisation he wants to see in the future.

Gallery: Bram de Zwart is ushering in a new historical era with mass 3D printing

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To demonstrate the ease and convenience of 3D printing, de Zwart designed a pair of white glasses emblazoned with "I love WIRED" for WIRED Retail. They were printed by one of the 250 3D printers in London, just a short bike ride away from the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, where WIRED Retail was held. "I don't know if our art director will allow these, because it's not exactly the right font," said David Rowan, editor of WIRED, as he tried on the glasses.

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For de Zwart 3D printing will bring "democratisation" to retail as it allows everything to be designed and manufactured on demand. "People are going to interact with products in a whole new way," de Zwart said.

Currently, wood, metal and plastic can be used in 3D printers. But the capabilities are continually growing. For example, MIT has produced a machine that can print metal and plastic at the same time, according to de Zwart.

If de Zwart is right, we can expect to see many more items 3D printed over the next decade, with the $4 billion industry expanding into a $400 billion one.